We bought a Hobie 16 and I was looking at the previous years results and saw a hand full or so people that compete with smaller multi-hulls. We were wondering about this race. We live in Birmingham, Al and this is the closest actual race. I just Had a few questions about doing it for the first time.

1 whats it like to race a distance race? (furthest we have sailed so far is about 6 nm round trip, we are on a lake so that is a good distance for us, want to go further once we hit the beach.)

2 Is it a big deal to be competing against other boats that are mostly bigger than you?

We did the 50th anniv. race a few years back. It's a cool race, but the logistics can be a little daunting. It's a one way race, so you have to figure out how to get your trailer out to DI unless you want to sail all the way back. (I think there's another, lesser race back on Sunday, but that adds other logistical issues.) The starting area depends on which club is hosting (rotates among Fairhope, Moble, and Buccaneer), and finding a good place to launch can be a challenge. I don't know the best place to retreive on DI. I've heard they closed the area near the air strip that we used to use. No problem with other boats....they will quickly be spread all over Mobile Bay. You will be mostly on your own after the start, so be prepared. The H-16 base Portsmouth No. (D-PN) is 76.0 from this table:

The year we did it, we got near the start area and the wind died. Spent several hours with little headway.....even drifted backwards with the current. When the sea breeze finally kicked in, everyone blasted off. We were flying....single- trapped....several tacks upwind to Middle Bay Light and then a reach to the bridge. Took a little over 2 hrs from the start line if i remember right.

Bill Harris (coastrat) or Butch G over on theBeachcats.com forums can probably help you more. Butch is still in the Mobile area, and coastrat does this one pretty much every year. You might also get some good info from the guys on the two H-16s in the picture on this page:

The best place to launch from is Fairhope Yacht Club. They have the best and really only beach. The race is really a drag race down to the finish. We have used the small beach at dauphin island next to the airport to take our boats out for the past few years with no problems. Didn't have any problems last year.Unless you want to sail back when you finish its best to somehow get your car and trailer down there.

As far as other boats. There are always a few spin boats and sometimes a class of 16s.

ConnerG,Great! Would be great to have enough H16s for a fleet. I am driving down from TN picking up my brother in GA. We plan on setting up the boats at FYC on Fri evening. The previous times we've done DIR (2009 and 2012?), we launched from the MBYC, but it was a long sail to the start line. hope to see you Friday night.Chip

I remember 2009, They screwed up trophies. I was on the 16 and my dad was on the 17. Dad has trouble with his sail and I finished about an hour before him. Somehow when they called for trophies they gave me second and dad first. I don't know how that happened.

I can't quite remember 2012. For awhile Fairhope Yacht Club had our old boat and my uncle's boat on their main page. I guess that was 2011.

You should try and make it to Midwinters down in Ocean Springs april 10-12

Hey Polecat, where in Tennessee are you from and more importantly, where do you sail? I am in Knoxville and sail out of the Concord Yacht Club on Fort Loudon Lake.

To echo what Jerome said, the distance races at Ocean Springs Yacht Club are great. OSYC is a dedicated cat club with a great beach right on Biloxi Bay. If you like distance races, Google OSYC and find information about Slip to Ship on Memorial Day weekend and the Horn Island Hop on July 4th. Each will have a Hobie 16 class.

mvd,I'm in the tri-cities area, so when I sail on fresh water, it's on Watuaga lake. but I end up draggin it to the gulf mostly. Mexico Beach FL on Labor Day, Ft Morgan AL early in the summer, and a few other trips scattered out throughout the year (like DIR). I'll look into the OSYC distance races; thanks!

The Mobile Press photo you think is me is actually my uncle with the blue red and yellow sails.

The second boat on the fairhope yacht club page (86374) is our old boat. We have since bought a new boat.

So far the fleet sounds promising. Sounds like you and the other boat coming with you, my boat and my uncle's boat. I'm trying to get a guy from Wetumpka down there and also another guy in Mobile to sail in the race as well. About 6 boats if we all show up.

I did the DI race several years ago on my H18.We launched out of the North Beach park in Fairhope down by the pier.

Like Rattle 'n Hum experienced the wind died right at the start (maybe the same year?)Then after quite a while the wind kicked in and we went screaming off 2 up on the wings passing many of the big boats through the finish.

After crossing the finish we then turned around and it was a pretty speedy broad reach back to Fairhope.

I suppose I'm hijacking this thread, but nevertheless, take a look at the post that I just made in the Hobie Racing section under Division 9. It lists several Hobie regattas that will be held in the Carolinas in 2015. The first in the series is the weekend of April 25-26 in Camden, SC. I've also listed some Facebook pages and a web site that are focused on local Hobie sailing. Even if you're not that into racing, you should come and join us. Just hanging out with other Hobie sailors is a pretty good time. On the other hand, we don't have any rock star racers in Division 9 (well, except for Garland) and we're a pretty fun bunch for the average sailor to compete with.